Who am I?
by the-circle-of-stupidity
Summary: The time, the place, the people they were all wrong. If I had met him in a different situation, perhaps we'd still be breathing...Rated P for Paranoia. Grimmjow/OC
1. Chapter 1

**And thus, the power puff girls were born! Using their ultra-super powers, Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are fighting crime and the forces of evil!**

**Dun dun du-nun-ne-nu nun….not sure where I was going with that. Oh well…**

Chapter 1

How did I get into this situation? Facing my two best friends in an attempt to save my other three best friends wasn't something I thought I would ever do. Ulquiorra kept his straight face, his eyes locked on my sword.

"Stand down, Toyamuri," he said calmly. Grimmjow stood nervously behind him, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"C'mon, Yuki, don't do this. You're one of us now."

I was suddenly incredibly aware of the bone fragments laced through my hair, coming together to form fox ears. The tattoo of the number five burned on my side.

"I-I can't let you kill them," I turned to Ichigo, Rukia and Renji who were standing behind me. "And I can't let you three kill them either."

"Yuki," Rukia started slowly.

"If we have to get through you to get to Orihime," Ichigo continued.

Renji held up his sword. It went into shikai and he pointed it in my direction. "So be it."

My breath caught in my throat. "…Renji…"

"I'm sorry. Howl, Zabimaru!"

He swung his sword and I heard it extend. I was completely frozen, yellow eyes wide as the blade flew toward me. I saw a flash of blue and suddenly Grimmjow was in front of me, blocking the sword as it grinded against his outstretched arms. It barely left a scratch.

"Don't even think about it Soul Reaper," he growled. Renji looked shocked for a second, and then pulled back his sword again. That's when all hell broke loose. Grimmjow shot straight for Rukia who Ichigo jumped in front of.

"Stop!" I shouted. Ulquiorra held up his arm and calmly back-handed Zabimaru as it shot toward him. Everyone was a blur of black, white, blue, red and orange. It almost looked like in a cartoon when people turn into a giant dust cloud with fists and feet. I would've laughed if the situation weren't so serious. Without thinking, I jumped into the middle of the mass of fighting, held out my arms and yelled, "STOP!"

I saw Grimmjow's eyes widen as Ichigo's sword moved with way too much momentum straight toward my head.

"No, YUKI!"

One month earlier…

I sat up fast in my bed and held my head in my hand, looking around the unfamiliar room. There was a wardrobe in one corner and a desk right next to it.

"How did I get in here?" I mumbled out loud. My voice sounded strange in the quiet room. A thin window let in the light from outside. It was the only light in the room. I got unsteadily to my feet and ran a hand through my hair. I stopped when I felt something hard close to the top of my head. "What?"

Looking up I saw a girl with long, dark brown hair and bangs in front of one of her yellow eyes. Her mouth was open slightly in shock, showing a small fang. She had bone fragments twisting and weaving through her hair to for a sort of halo which connected to two small fox ears at the top of her head. I moved my hand up to brush my hair out of my face and the girl did the same.

"Wait…" Slowly I held out my hand and the girl did too. Her hands had more bone fragments on them that formed what looked like fingerless gloves with spikes on the knuckles, just like my hands. I reached out until my hand hit something hard and smooth. "It's a mirror."

I was wearing a black and white uniform. The long jacket came down to my knees with black all along the hems and the long skirt almost hid my black shoes. The sleeves on the jacket covered half of the bone part on my hands. The neckline of the jacket came down just enough to show the hole in between my collarbones.

"I look like a pirate," I said vaguely, feeling the collar on my jacket.

"You look nice."

I jumped, startled and whirled to see who had spoken. A man with blue, spiked hair leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed. He had a fanged jawbone on the right side of his face. The vest he wore opened to show the hole in his stomach.

"You ok? You seem a little jumpy."

"I-uh," I just stared at him. He seemed so familiar. I should know who he is, but I couldn't place it. "I'm fine."

He kept his gaze locked on me. "Do you remember your name?"

"It's—."

I didn't know my name. He just smiled, a fang almost as big as the ones on his mask showing.

"Yuki. Your name is Yuki Toyamuri."

"Toyamuri…" Even my own name sounded like a stranger's.

"Do you know my name?"

I shook my head. "I feel like I should, but sorry."

"Grimmjow Jeagerjaques."

"Interesting name."

"So's yours, Princess."

"Hey! That's not how it's spelled!"

"Alright then, snow."

I just rolled my eyes at him. "Is there any particular reason you came in here?"

Grimmjow stood up straight, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, I'm supposed to take you and show you around. By the way, congrats on making number five."

"Huh?"

"In the Espada ranks. You beat me. I'm number six. I don't know how, but you beat Nnoitora for number five. I'd watch your back if I were you."

I grinned at him. "Oh, but why watch my back when I've got a big strong…kitty like you to protect me?"

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow. "Smart ass, huh? Come on little Snow Princess. Let's go look around."

"Please tell me that's not my new nickname."

Grimmjow smiled over his shoulder at me. "Welcome to the club."

He showed me around the large 'palace' as he called it and told me about how Lord Aizen was going to get rid of the Soul Society.

"…and if he gets rid of them, we'll be able to live in peace without having to worry about Soul Reapers being prejudiced. It might be a better life…" He trailed off, becoming very interested in a window we were passing. "Speaking of which."

I stopped and moved around him to see out the window where a person dressed in all black was fighting an Espada. It was a boy with bright orange hair. Why did he look familiar?

"Why are the Soul Reapers attacking us here?"

"Well, I guess they have good reason with this one. See, Aizen took one of their friends and made it look like she turned traitor. He needed her power to work the Hogyoku or something."

"Hogyoku?"

"Yeah, without that little rock, you and I wouldn't be here right now."

"It makes arrancars?"

"Yeah, that's the gist of it."

"So, who'd Aizen kidnap?"

"Someone named Orihime Inoue. I doubt you'd know who that is though, if you couldn't remember your own name earlier."

I punched him in the arm. "Shut up!"

The thing was I _did_ know that name. I didn't know why, but I felt like I knew Orihime.

He rubbed his arm and smiled. Then he looked up at the door a few feet away from us. "Actually, that's her room there."

Another arrancar with black hair, white skin and what looked like green tear tracks running down his face came around the corner at the other end and entered Orihime's room.

"Who was that?"

"Ulquiorra Schiffer. He's sorta like Inoue's babysitter here. You know take care of her, make sure she doesn't starve…."

"Sounds pleasant."

I heard a girl shout something from inside the room and assumed it was Orihime.

"What d'you think they're arguing about?" Grimmjow asked. I shrugged and he made a completely serious face, frowning at me.

"Quit crying over your friends. It's their own fault for coming here anyway."

Realizing what he was doing, I screwed up my face in fake tears. "Don't say that! They can't be dead! They just can't be!"

Grimmjow tried to keep a serious face, but when I pulled out the southern-belle accent, he burst out laughing. I laughed with him and when we heard a loud slap coming from Orihime's room, we laughed even harder. In fact, when Ulquiorra came out, I was on the floor and Grimmjow was supporting himself on the windowsill. Ulquiorra glanced at us for a second, then shook his head and continued on his way. I calmed down enough that I could stand up.

"Buzz kill," I said, giggling and wiping tears from my eyes.

"Ah, don't worry about him," said Grimmjow waving a hand. "He's never been any fun. Well, I'm gonna let you explore a little bit. I need to go see what Ulquiorra's up to."

"What happened to being my guide?"

"You need a babysitter too?"

"No."

"Alright then, I'll see you around."

And with that, he walked off, leaving me standing in the wide hallway.

"Um, ok? I guess I'll just go back to my room….which way was that again?"

In the twenty minutes I'd known him, I never thought I'd say I need Grimmjow. I started toward Orihime's room. She probably wouldn't know where my room was, but she might know where Grimmjow's is. He'd told me his room was only a few down from mine. I knocked on her door and heard a timid, "Come in."

When I entered the room, the first thing I noticed was the girl's bright orange hair. The next thing I noticed was that she had been crying. Her face was covered in tear tracks.

"You're Orihime, right?" I asked awkwardly, pretending I hadn't just been making fun of someone I didn't know. She nodded.

"Are you here to tell me that another one of my friends is dead?"

"Oh! No, I'm not," I said, waving my hands. _Someone's a negative thinker._ "I got lost on the way to my room and I was wondering if you might be able to help."

Orihime wiped her face on her sleeve. "I'd love to, but I've never seen you before. I don't know where your room is."

"Do you know where Grimmjow's is? His isn't far from mine."

She attempted to give me directions (which included a lot of lefts) and I thanked her, turning around to leave. My hand was on the knob when Orihime said, "Bye Yuki, be careful out there. I heard Nnoitora was looking for you."

"Thanks, I will."

It wasn't until I stepped out and closed the door behind me that I remembered I never told her my name….

**See, this is what happens when I randomly start typing. You get a girl with suppressed memories and a totally OOC Grimmjow.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, so I've decided that I will try and only make Grimmjow OOC around Yuki…key word being try…I meant to say this before, but this is gonna be my own version of what happened in Hueco Mundo. Certain events might not be right, but that would just be because I meant to do that….or it was an accident and I didn't catch it.**

**Previously…**

My hand was on the knob when Orihime said, "Bye Yuki, be careful out there. I heard Nnoitra was looking for you."

"Thanks, I will."

It wasn't until I stepped out and closed the door behind me that I remembered I never told her my name…

Chapter 2

Fortunately, Orihime's directions weren't too off and I found my room after about ten minutes of wandering around. I flopped backward on my bed, kicking off my heeled shoes.

"How did she know my name?" I mumbled to no one in particular. It wasn't long before I fell asleep.

Ulquiorra stood outside Yuki's door, Grimmjow coming up behind him, and looking into Yuki's room.

_She's kinda cute when she sleeps,_ he thought.

"You shouldn't have let her see Orihime," said Ulquiorra, not looking at the Espada behind him. "She's gaining back memories that would be better lost."

Grimmjow just scowled at him for a second. "I don't see the harm in it. It's not like she wouldn't have found Inoue's room anyway. It's a big place, but it doesn't take long to get around."

"If she regains her memories, Lord Aizen's plan will fall apart."

"And what exactly _is_ Lord Aizen's plan? Mess with a girl's head 'til it drives her insane? Make her betray her friends? 'Cause we're already doing that with Inoue."

Ulquiorra didn't say anything, glancing back at Grimmjow.

"Just be careful what you say around her. Sooner or later, she'll remember what you did."

Grimmjow looked angry for a second, and then assumed his cocky grin. "Yeah, whatever."

He started to walk away when Ulquiorra called out, "I know how you feel about her. If she remembers what you did, she'll never look at you the same way again."

Grimmjow paused, shook his head and kept walking. "I don't feel anything but indifferent. And maybe a little competitiveness since she beat me in ranks."

Ulquiorra looked back at the sleeping Espada. Her brow furrowed in her sleep and she rolled onto her side. He couldn't help wondering what she was dreaming about.

_Something was very off. I was standing in…the Squad 13 barracks? Why was I in the Soul Society? A girl with short black hair was talking to me. What was her name? Rukia? She was talking about someone else, a guy named…Ichigo? His name was strawberry? Someone ran up to us—a man with long white hair, wearing a captain's haori. I saw his mouth move, but I couldn't understand what he'd said. Rukia, however, looked terrified and immediately pulled her sword out, taking off after her captain. I started to run after them when the building next to me exploded in a cloud of dust and rubble. Someone started to step out, just a silhouette in the dust, but I immediately felt like I was in danger. The person came closer, their shape getting clearer. They laughed as I fumbled with pulling out my sword. I could tell it was a man now; he pulled back an arm and swung straight for my face—_

I shot up out of my bed, lunged for the sword sitting next to my dresser and pointed it, still in its sheath, towards the door, panting like I'd just run a marathon. Grimmjow stood in the doorway, hand raised like he was knocking on it. He grinned at the weapon in my hands.

"Easy there, Snow Princess. It's just me. I'm not jockeying for your position."

I sighed in relief and put the sword on the ground.

"Bad dream," I explained, standing up.

"Well, you've got good reflexes, I'll give you that. Take your sword with you. You start training today."

"Training?"

"Aizen's orders. You made number five, and I wanna see how you did it.

I smiled. "You're _sure_ you're not jockeying for my number? Super kitty?"

"Heh. Funny."

He pulled out his own sword and set it against my throat. "Let's see how good you are with a sword."

"Loser keeps their nickname?" I suggested. He smiled and lowered his sword.

"Deal."

He led me to a large open room that was about five hallways down from Orihime's room (making a mental map of Las Noches is a little easier than you'd think) and told me to take out my sword.

"I'm gonna teach you the basics, then we'll see how much natural talent you have."

"That doesn't seem very fair."

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Block!"

He spun around and swung at my head and I barely got my sword up in time to stop it.

"Good. Again!"

He came at me from the left, then jabbed at my legs, with me barely blocking every shot. Clearly, he wasn't going to hold back. He was almost moving faster than my eyes could keep up and eventually got his foot behind mine, sending me crashing backwards to the floor. His sword, once again, pointed at my throat, just under my chin.

"Cheap shot," I muttered.

"Whatever you say, Snow Princess."

"Just help me up, Super kitty."

Grimmjow held out his hand and yanked me to my feet. "So, you taught me how to block, now show me how to atta—mm!"

He didn't stop at pulling me to my feet. He pulled me up to his face and suddenly he was _kissing _me! And the worst part is…I kind of liked it. No! What was I _thinking_? I liked Grimmjow, but not like _that!_ Didn't I? He let me go after a few seconds (though it felt more like a few minutes) and looked at me hopefully, waiting for some sort of response. So, I did the smart thing and punched him as hard as I could, one of the claws on my knuckles clipping his cheek. He held his face, looking a little shocked.

"Ok. Not the reaction I was hoping for."

"How could—why would you—you just _kissed_ me!" I almost shouted. The words sounded weird coming out of my mouth.

"Yes. And Ulquiorra's standing in the doorway. Are we done pointing out the obvious?"

"What?"

I whirled around and sure enough, Ulquiorra was standing in the doorway looking as bored as ever. Only his bright green eyes betrayed a small amount of surprise. How much did he just see?

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked. I could've sworn a small smile was playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Yeah, actually, you are," said Grimmjow, putting his arm around my shoulders. "Isn't that right, Snow Princ—?"

"Get away from me!" I pushed him away, ducking out from under his arm. "Stupid cat!"

And with that, I stormed out of the room, my face burning as much as a cero.

"Yuki!" Grimmjow called after me. I didn't turn around, giving him the finger over my shoulder. I couldn't see it, but now I _know_ Ulquiorra was smiling.

Grimmjow felt his shoulders slump as Yuki made a rude gesture at him.

"I think this is what you'd call 'blowing it'."

"Shut the hell up, Schiffer. Why don't you go hang out with _your_ girlfriend?"

Any hint of a smile left Ulquiorra's face. "I don't know who you're talking about."

"You're kidding me, right? It's like Aizen's playing matchmaker. He put you in charge of Inoue, and you barely spend ten minutes out of her room."

"Seems like it's going _so_ well between you and Toyamuri. What happened to 'I don't feel anything but indifferent'?"

Grimmjow shrugged, looking away. "I can't tell a lie?"

Ulquiorra didn't answer, but walked calmly away in the same direction as Yuki had gone.

I tried to hurry toward my room, not sure how to feel about what just happened. Was I a little too harsh to Grimmjow? I mean he _did_ just kiss me out of nowhere. It's ok to be angry about that right? But I didn't want to be angry at him….I stopped when I heard someone's voice behind me.

"You're Toyamuri right?"

I turned around, very aware that my face was still bright red. A man who was at least twice my height (probably taller) stood with a large blade over his shoulder. It looked like two crescent blades facing in opposite directions. He hefted it off his shoulder and pinned me between the wall and one of the blades.

"Umm…"

"I hear you took my position."

"So _you're_ Nnoitra. Look, sorry I got the five spot and you didn't. I've had a really weird day today, can I go now?"

He pushed his weapon harder into the wall and it almost cut into my stomach. "I don't think so. I want that spot. People won't take me seriously if I got beat out by a little kid like you."

"I really don't wanna fight you right now." I was pushing myself as far back against the wall as possible.

"Yeah? Well, I really wanna fight you."

"Give me chance to get my sword?"

He grinned at me with teeth that were way to long and straight. I put my hands on the flat part of the blade, hefted my feet up and kicked it away from the wall. This backfired a little and I landed flat on my back. I pulled the sword out of its sheath just in time to block his attack. Unfortunately no matter where I was in the hallway, he had the high ground. Literally. I slid on my back out from under his blade and scrambled back to my feet. Trying to copy Grimmjow (though I'd never admit it out loud) I jumped, spun in midair, and swung my blade as hard as I could at his face. It cut him across the nose, slashing off his eye patch. It fluttered to the ground to show a small skull mouth opened in a circle where his eye should've been.

"Nice shot, but it won't be good enough," he said. He swung at my and knocked me out of the air, sending a long cut up my side, ripping a piece off the jacket and revealing the number five tattooed just above the waistline of my skirt. Seeing this just seemed to make him angrier and he slashed at me, making a large cut across my chest. Stunned, I took a couple steps back, watching the red bloom out over the white of my jacket, heard the sword drop out of my hand and hit the carpeted floor and saw Grimmjow come around the corner. I saw his mouth move, but didn't hear any words come out. It was pretty obvious what he was saying though. I started to take a step toward him and that's about when I blacked out.

When I woke up, all I could see was a blur of blue. After a couple of seconds, my vision cleared up a little and I saw it was Grimmjow's face. His arms were wrapped loosely around my waist and shoulders.

"..Grimmjow…?" That was about when I realized that I was laying in his lap. I sat up quickly, face burning and looking at everything but him. "W-what happened?"

He looked at Nnoitra who was unconscious on the ground in a pool of blood.

"He almost killed you so I kicked his ass."

"Really?"

He scooted closer to me and pulled me into a hug, rubbing my shoulder as if to calm me down. "Yep."

I didn't pull away from him this time, but curled more into his chest. "Th-thank you, I guess."

My action must've surprised him because he hesitated before tightening his grip around me. "Sure. Anytime."

We sat like that for a few minutes before Grimmjow stretched and stood up. "Aizen'll probably be wondering why one of his Espada is out cold on the floor. I should get Nnoitra out of here."

I nodded. "M'kay. I'll see you around?"

"Yeah." He started to walk away, then stopped. "Hey, Yuki?"

"Hmm?"

"You're not still mad about—about what happened?"

I thought for a second, then stood up, straightening my jacket (even though the top half of it was all that was left) and smiled at him. "Nah. I guess you just…surprised me. And I guess you _did_ just stop a fight-a-holic from killing me so, I kinda have to forgive you."

His usual cocky grin returned to his face. "Yeah, I guess you do. Go change, Snow Princess, you look like hell."

I looked surprised for a second, then smiled again. "Whatever. See ya, Super kitty."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes at the nickname and watched her retreating back, thinking about what had just happened. He couldn't tell her the truth. Not when he was back on her good side. He'd come around the corner to see her cornered by Nnoitra and covered in blood, looking like she was about to pass out. He'd yelled her name and started to run toward her when she suddenly stood up straight. He'd never seen her look so angry. Her eyes were glowing brighter than the fake sun outside. She didn't move, but suddenly blood spurted out from Nnoitra. Even stranger, it had been from the exact same places Nnoitra had cut her, only deeper. The tall Espada had looked incredibly shocked before falling over backwards. Yuki had watched her opponent fall. As soon as he hit the floor however, her eyes had shot up to look at Grimmjow. He actually felt scared for a second. The look in her glowing eyes was pure hatred and anger. She would cut down anything in her path, friend or foe if that's what it took. Grimmjow had muttered her name and she took a step toward him, sword raised when the glow faded from her eyes and she collapsed.

_I think I finally know what Aizen's plan is,_ he thought, as Ulquiorra came around the corner.

**Chapter two is done and I think Grimmjow was slightly less OOC…sorta…anyway; my iPod died on a long car ride so I stared out the window and thought of different ways the kiss scene would go. That's what I ended up on, so I hope that wasn't because I was half asleep….I plan on putting up a pic of Yuki and Grimmjow on my deviant art account cheezestixshallrule (don't ask) I think I failed a little at Grimmjow, but it gives you a better idea of what Yuki looks like.**


	3. Chapter 3

**So, like I said before, making this up as I go along. It comes out how it comes out and hopefully I can catch anywhere I may contradict myself. **

**I don't own bleach...**

**Previously…**

He couldn't tell her the truth. Not when he was back on her good side. He'd come around the corner to see her cornered by Nnoitra and covered in blood, looking like she was about to pass out. He'd yelled her name and started to run toward her when she suddenly stood up straight. He'd never seen her look so angry. Her eyes were glowing brighter than the fake sun outside. She didn't move, but suddenly blood spurted out from Nnoitra. Even stranger, it had been from the exact same places Nnoitra had cut her, only deeper. The tall Espada had looked incredibly shocked before falling over backwards. Yuki had watched her opponent fall. As soon as he hit the floor however, her eyes had shot up to look at Grimmjow. He actually felt scared for a second. The look in her glowing eyes was pure hatred and anger. She would cut down anything in her path, friend or foe if that's what it took. Grimmjow had muttered her name and she took a step toward him, sword raised when the glow faded from her eyes and she collapsed.

_I think I finally know what Aizen's plan is,_ he thought, as Ulquiorra came around the corner.

Chapter 3

I spent the next day wandering around Las Noches, eventually finding my way back to Orihime's room. Hesitating for a second, I turned and knocked on her door.

"Orihime? It's me."

I unlocked the door and she opened it a crack and I saw a grey eye peek through.

"Oh! Hi Yuki!" Orihime opened the door all the way and let me in. "Did you get lost again?"

"No, I'm just wandering. Actually, um…I was wondering if I could ask you something."

"Sure," she said, smiling. It was a pleasant change from the last time I'd seen her. "What is it?"

"Last time I came in here, when I left, you told me to watch out for Nnoitra…"

"Oh, no! Did he find you?"

"No! Well, yes, but that's not what I wanted to ask you about."

"What do you want to know?"

"When I left, you said my name, but I never told you what it was. I can't help feeling like—did I know you? Before I came to Las Noches, I mean."

Orihime hesitated. "No, I had no idea who you were. I'd heard your name around and figured it must be you."

"Oh…" Well, there goes that theory. "What about anyone named Rukia or Ichigo?"

I could see the spark of recognition in her eyes at the names. "Never heard of them."

"You're sure?" I pressed. She nodded.

"Mm-hmm."

I felt my shoulders slump in defeat. "Okay. Never mind. I was just wondering."

I walked out the door and shut it behind me, hearing the lock click. I was about to walk away when I suddenly froze. An image ran through my head of a girl that I'd seen before fighting an Espada. His trident went through her chest and I saw her face. It was Rukia! The Espada was taunting her because she held onto her sword that had a broken blade. Rukia pointed it at his face, mumbled something and ice came together to form the rest of the blade, shooting straight through his head. The Espada dropped her to the ground, the prongs of the trident breaking off into her chest. She tried to get up again, but only managed to roll onto her stomach. Rukia started to crawl away, then slumped to the icy ground, unmoving. I fell back against the door, surprised at the horror I was feeling at seeing this. She was a soul reaper. I should be glad she didn't make it, right? Right? I heard a loud banging on the door behind me and Orihime shouting "Let me out! Let me out!"

She had been fine just a second ago, so that could only mean one thing. She'd seen it too. After a few seconds, Orihime calmed down and slumped against the other side of the door. I could hear her crying. I knew she was lying about Rukia and Ichigo. And so was I. I knew them. I know I was friends with them. So why couldn't I remember them? Making up my mind, I stood up to go find Grimmjow. We literally ran into each other about fifteen minutes later.

"Hey, Snow Princess, where's the fire?" he asked.

"Grimmjow, do you know what happened before I was an Espada? I know I'm supposed to remember, but I don't. I just saw what happened to one of those soul reapers and I feel sad about it, like I was her friend."

He looked serious. "I don't know, Yuki. I'm sorry I can't help you, but Ulquiorra just took out my target, and I wanna find Orihime so I can kill the soul reaper myself."

"Grimmjow…please. I'm so confused right now."

He glanced at me sadly, then moved around me in the direction I'd come from.

"Grimmjow," I repeated quietly. I was about to head back to my room when there was a large explosion outside the window. I looked outside and saw a man with bright red hair fighting an Espada with pink hair—Szyallaporro I think was his name. A boy with black hair and glasses was sprawled out on the ground. Without thinking, I adjusted the sword at my side, climbed onto the window sill and pushed myself through. I Sonidoed (or whatever the past tense for of that word is) towards them. As soon as my feet touched the ground, the red-haired man looked directly at me with an expression that looked like I'd just slapped him across the face.

"Yuki…"

"Do I know you?" I asked, reaching for my sword.

"Hello Toyamuri," said Szyallaporro. "I don't need any back-up, I'm doing just fine."

"I'm not here for back up. I want answers." I pointed my sword at the man. "I don't remember you, so why do I feel like I know you?"

He looked hurt. "Yuki, it's me, Renji!"

The name sounded familiar and a felt an odd pang in my chest. "R-Renji…?"

"That's right! Renji Abarai! You were the lieut—."

"Now, now, Abarai," said Szyallaporro said, waving his finger at Renji. "Let's not reveal any secrets."

"No, keep talking Renji," I said, aiming my sword at Szyallaporro. "That's the whole reason I came down here, right?"

"Yuki, you and I were—."

Suddenly everything went black and I dropped my sword. I heard myself call out as a sharp pain shot through my body. Next thing I knew, I landed flat on my face in the dirt.

"Ow."

I looked up to see Szyallaporro holding a small chibi-doll version of me in his long-fingered hand. He pulled it in half, reached for something inside the bottom half and held up a small, round piece.

"One more word, Abarai, and I crush her heart."

Renji tensed up, taking a step forward. I started to push myself back up when Szyallaporro pulled out a thin, blue piece and crushed it between his fingers. Renji shouted my name when I fell back to the ground, my arm cracking.

"D-damn it…" I growled, pushing myself onto one arm. "Szyallaporro, you are so—ngh!"

I fell back to the ground, everything going dark.

Renji watched as Yuki fell back to the ground, mid-sentence.

"Yuki?"

Slowly, the small Espada pushed herself to her feet, her arm healed completely. When she looked up at the pink-haired man in front of her, her eyes burned bright yellow. Szyallaporro's arm snapped, bending almost completely back on itself.

"GAH! YOU LITTLE _BITCH_! WHAT'D YOU DO TO ME?" he shouted. He reached down to where the pieces from the doll spilled, picked one up and crushed it between his fingers. Yuki's leg broke and she stumbled, keeping her glare. It healed almost as soon as it broke and she stood up straight again. Seconds later, Szyallaporro's leg crumpled beneath him. He fell to his knees, scooped up a handful of pieces, then smashed them into the dirt. Bones cracked and snapped all over Yuki's body and blood started streaming out of the corner of her mouth. This didn't seem to faze her at all and she took a step forward. She disappeared, then reappeared with her sword pointed straight at Szyallaporro's throat. Yuki was about to stab him through his head, when the light faded from her eyes and she fell to the ground. Szyallaporro watched her fall, a smile growing on his face. Blood suddenly spurted from his mouth and he crouched forward, using his good arm to hold himself up. Renji stepped forward hesitantly, then rushed up to Yuki, who was curled up on her side. He rolled her over, hoping she was still alive.

"Is she okay?" Uryu called from his spot on the ground.

"Yeah, she's breathing," Renji called back. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Except for part of a scar showing through her collar, she was perfectly fine. No broken bones or anything. The only thing left to show from the fight was the blood coming from her mouth. She groaned and her eyes fluttered open.

"Grimmjow?" she mumbled. Her eyes found Renji's face and he couldn't help but notice the slightly disappointed look on her face. Yuki looked over at Szyallaporro. "Did—did _I_ do that?"

"Yeah. No matter what he did to you, it came back at him." Renji looked down at her. "You really don't remember me? Or Uryu?"

"Who?"

She stood up and walked over to pick up her sword. "I should leave. I feel like I just found out something I shouldn't have."

"_This_ is the Espada you were having trouble with?"

They all whirled at the sound of the voice to see a man with dark blue hair and a captain's haori standing by Uryu. Renji looked a little shocked.

"C-captain Kurotsuchi."

**The trouble with bleach fan fictions is every time I type in a name, Microsoft counts it as a wrong word. Shortest chapter so far, but it gets more into the weird stuff Yuki has going on.**


	4. Chapter 4

**WOO! I got my laptop back! Yeah! So, now I can update stories….if I haven't hit a block….**

**Previously…**

"_This_ is the Espada you were having trouble with?"

They all whirled at the sound of the voice to see a man with dark blue hair and a captain's haori standing by Uryu. Renji looked a little shocked.

"C-captain Kurotsuchi."

Chapter 4

I stared at the strange looking captain.

"…Kuro…tsuchi…?"

He continued to look at me like I was some sort of experiment.

"Come to think of it, I have seen you before," he said, cocking his head to the side. I started to raise my sword when someone came up behind me, wrapping their arm around my neck with their sword right next to my face. I looked back to see a girl with black hair that was pulled back and a completely bored expression on her face. She kinda reminded me of Ulquiorra.

"Hold her still, Nemu," said Kurotsuchi, flash-stepping until he was right in front of me. I couldn't help but flinch back a little. The guy was creepy. I saw a flash of recognition in his eyes. "Ah, yes, I remember you now. I almost turned you into a fox. One of my less important experiments…." He trailed off, his yellow eyes looking at the girl behind me. "Nemu."

"Wha—?"

I never finished the question because the girl whacked me in the back of the head with her sword. She's definitely stronger than she looks.

When I woke up, I had no idea where I was. Looking around, I was able to tell that it was at least still Los Noches. The room was dark and had nothing in it. Three people stood a few feet away, talking in quiet voices. I recognized Renji who was standing with his back to me. In front of him were the boy with glasses, who must have been Uryu, and the orange-haired boy who I'd seen fighting an arrancar earlier. I sat up and the orange-haired boy cut off whatever Renji was saying.

"Hey, she's awake!" he said, coming over to kneel next to me. "You feeling ok, Yuki?"

I shook my head to clear it. "I—yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Where am I?"

"In the only empty room we could find," he said. "We thought we could use it to sort of regroup, but…"

He trailed off and I could see the worry in his eyes.

"You don't think Rukia made it out do you?" I said before I could stop myself. He blinked.

"You remember Rukia? And Renji? What about me? Yuki do you remember who I am?" On the last question he'd grabbed my shoulders and almost started shaking me.

"No, sorry."

When he looked incredibly disappointed, I quickly added, "But, I just mean your name! I—I kinda remember…knowing…you, but I can't think of your name."

He grinned half-heartedly. "Ichigo. Ichigo Kurosaki."

I snickered, then sat there wondering why the hell I just did that.

"What?"

"I don't really know…" I said slowly. "It just felt like a natural reaction…"

Renji spoke up. "You are remembering, Yuki. You used to laugh at his name all the time before—."

"Renji, shut it," Ichigo snapped.

"Before what?" I asked.

Renji looked like he'd said something he shouldn't have, his face almost as red as his hair. "N-nothing. Forget it."

I stood up and dusted off my skirt. "Well, I should probably get going before Grimmjow comes looking for me."

Ichigo looked suddenly serious. "Grimmjow?"

"Mm-hmm." I spun around a little, looking around the room. "Umm…where's the door?"

Uryu finally said something, touching the wall which shrunk back to form a doorway. "It's hidden. Here."

I paused in the doorway. "Um…I'm really confused right now," I confessed. "I know I'm an Espada, but…I feel like I'm supposed to be on your side…."

"Yuki…"

"Yuki!"

I looked up at the sound of Grimmjow's voice and shut the door quickly hiding the others, a painfully obvious fake grin on my face.

"Hey, Grimmjow…"

He stopped. "You okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"You just seem a little jump—never mind. Aizen wants to see you."

The smiled slid off my face. "Ai-aizen?"

"Yeah, Aizen. Our boss. You sure you're—?"

"I'm fine," I said a little too quickly. "Why does Aizen want to see me?"

He shrugged. "Hell if I know. Just get down there before we both get in trouble."

Grimmjow left me in the hallway with my hand still raised in a wave. Remembering what I was supposed to be doing, I quickly hurried in the opposite direction, finally stopping when I came to towering double doors. I started to knock when they opened on their own. Aizen sat at the end of a long table, his chin leaning on his fist and a cup of tea in his other hand. He smiled calmly down the empty table at me.

"Good," he said. "Grimmjow followed orders for once. Sit down, Yuki, would you like some tea?"

He waved a hand at the many chairs around the table. I stepped forward, stiffening up when the big doors closed behind me.

"Tea?" he offered again when I sat down at the other end of the table.

"Uh…n-no…No thanks….So why did you want to see me?"

"Grimmjow and Nnoitra have informed me of your—er—special power."

"Special power?"

He looked a little more interested. "You don't remember? You never wondered what happened to Szyallaporro? Or Nnoitra?"

"I—Grimmjow told me he fought with Nnoitra…but…"

"But? Nothing about Szyallaporro?"

I looked at my lap. "No…"

Aizen shifted in his seat. "From what Grimmjow's said, I can assume that you black out during these…attacks," he sounded like he was searching for the right word. "And that they only seem to happen when your life is in danger, like it's a defense system."

I narrowed my eyes slightly at him. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying my plan is going perfectly. You're turning into my secret weapon."

"Secret…weapon…?"

"It wouldn't take long to get you fighting. Cut you down to size then let you loose on Karakura Town…." He seemed to be talking more to himself now. Aizen waved a hand at me. "You can go."

I stood up, almost tripping on the chair, and backed out of the room. As soon as I was in the hall, I sprinted away. I knew what Aizen's plan was and I wasn't so sure I liked where it was going.

***bows repeatedly* I'M SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE AND THEN GIVING YOU THIS HORRIBLE, SHORT EXCUSE FOR A CHAPTER! DX**


	5. Chapter 5

**So, I will try and redeem myself with this chapter, but I'll be gone for the weekend so it may be a while before I get some up…though when I do there will be many…And The Violent Spazz has sort of become my co-writer when it comes to fluff…though now I'm a little afraid for Yuki…**

**Previously…**

"It wouldn't take long to get you fighting. Cut you down to size then let you loose on Karakura Town…." He seemed to be talking more to himself now. Aizen waved a hand at me. "You can go."

I stood up, almost tripping on the chair, and backed out of the room. As soon as I was in the hall, I sprinted away. I knew what Aizen's plan was and I wasn't so sure I liked where it was going.

Chapter Five

Grimmjow caught me halfway down the hall.

"Hey where are you…going…?" He trailed off seeing the look on my face. "What's wrong?"

"I-I heard Aizen's plan," I said, becoming very interested in the floor. He, on the other hand, didn't look shocked at all.

"So you heard…I'm sorry Yuki, it was his plan, but I'm not entirely sure I want to go along with it—."

"_You knew?" _I almost hissed at him. "_You knew this whole time and didn't say anything?"_

"Well, that's not exactly something that comes up in conversation," he said, putting his hands up in surrender. "I didn't think it would be a good idea to tell you."

"Tell me _what?_! That I was like a farm animal being raised for slaughter? I'm only an Espada so that Aizen can almost kill me for his stupid world domination plan!" My voice was steadily getting louder and I was backing Grimmjow into the wall. "_I don't know about you, but I think I'd want a career change!"_

He grabbed my wrist and spun me around so that I was against the wall instead of him. His hand held mine in place, the other sitting on my shoulder. Grimmjow took a deep breath and pressed his forehead gently against mine.

"Yuki, I'm sorry it came to this, I didn't want you to find out. I…" he trailed off, eyes closed, and his grip on my hand loosened, letting it fall back to my side. I leaned closer to him, our foreheads still touching, and sighed.

"Sorry I yelled. It's not like it's your fault that Aizen's doing this."

Grimmjow stayed silent, but I could've sworn I felt him tense up a little before he muttered, "Yeah."

We stayed like that until Ulquiorra came around the corner, saw the stressed out look on my face, and said, "So she found out, huh?"

And just like that I was angry again.

"YOU KNEW TOO? AM I THE ONLY ONE NOT INFORMED ABOUT THIS?"

Grimmjow grabbed my head in both his hands and started rubbing my temples with his thumbs.

"Yuki, calm down. We'll find a way around this." He moved my head so that I was looking him in the eyes. "Promise."

With some difficulty I nodded and he let me go. I opened my mouth to say something, then thought better of it and walked away, leaving Grimmjow looking worried and Ulquiorra looking like…well…Ulquiorra.

I kept walking until I realized I had no idea where I was. Taking a deep breath, I started to turn back the way I'd come when I heard a lot of yelling coming from a door a ways down the hall. I walked quickly down to the door and pushed it open. Two arrancars were attacking something in between them. The both looked up when they heard the door open and I saw the thing was Orihime. She looked horrible. One of her eyes was swollen shut and a small line of blood was coming from the corner of her mouth.

"What are you doing?" I asked. The two arrancars just smiled.

"Oh, it's only you. I thought it was someone who could actually hurt us," one of them sneered.

"Yeah, like—Grimmjow!" They both looked shocked and another shadow joined mine in the doorway. Grimmjow stood behind me, hands in his pockets and scowling.

"What do you think you're doing?" he barked. The two arrancars suddenly became defensive, letting Orihime go and standing up to face Grimmjow.

"None of your business, so get lost!" one of them shouted. Grimmjow shrugged.

"If you say so…."

"Grimmjow!" I said. He couldn't possibly be just leaving while these two girls beat Orihime to death! But then he held out one of his arms as the blonde one came charging at him. He caught her face in his hand and I noticed an odd blue light. Next thing I knew, he'd fired a cero and half of the girl's body disappeared.

"_Grimmjow!_" I hissed again. "You didn't have to kill her!"

He didn't answer as the other one tried to come at him and he stepped on her leg, effectively cracking it. She cried out in pain as Grimmjow started pulling on it, like he was about to pull it off.

"GRIMMJOW!" I shouted from the doorway. His head snapped up like he was coming out of some sort of trance. He looked down at what he was doing, then let the girl go. He looked back up at me.

"Sorry you had to see that."

I just stared. I'd never seen him do that to anyone. He reached out as he passed me, grabbing my arm and pulling me with him.

"Heal yourself," he called over his shoulder to Orihime. "Aizen wouldn't like it very much if his pet wasn't looking pretty again."

Grimmjow kept hold of my arm until we turned a corner.

"Grimmjow, wha—?"

"Yuki, we're going to come up with a plan to get you out of here."

That shut me up. "We?"

"Ulquiorra and I. He might not look like it, but he actually thinks of you as a close friend."

"Oh. Why are you telling me this now?"

"Tonight, we're all going to meet in Orihime's room. We'll get her out of here too if we need too."

"We do," I cut in. "From what I just saw, she isn't exactly safe here."

He smiled. "Ok. Midnight. Meet us there and whatever you do," he put his hand under my chin and pulled my face up to look at his. "Don't get caught."

"Got it."

**Gaaahhh! It's still a short chapter, but I feel it went better than the other one….oh well.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well, I learned the hard way that I have to go over and watch very carefully when The Violent Spazz writes my fluff moments. I'm kinda starting to regret leaving her in charge of Yuki's love life… oh well. **

**Previously…**

"Tonight, we're all going to meet in Orihime's room. We'll get her out of here too if we need too."

"We do," I cut in. "From what I just saw, she isn't exactly safe here."

He smiled. "Ok. Midnight. Meet us there and whatever you do," he put his hand under my chin and pulled my face up to look at his. "Don't get caught."

"Got it."

Chapter Six

I paced back and forth around my room. It was almost midnight and I was still wondering if this was a good idea. It probably wasn't, but it was either meet with Grimmjow, Ulquiorra and Orihime and escape, or let Aizen pretty much murder me. The room slowly got darker and darker until it was only lit by the always-crescent moon high in the sky.

"Time to go," I muttered, opening the door a crack. Looking both ways and making sure no one was coming, I walked silently down the hall toward Orihime's room. Cursing the fact that I was wearing all-white and stuck out in the dark and pausing at every little creak and groan I heard, I finally made it to Orihime's room, only to see Grimmjow waiting outside.

"How come you haven't gone in yet?" I whispered to him. "Are you waiting for Ulquiorra?"

He shook his head. "Nah, he went in a long time ago. He told me there was something he wanted to say to Orihime before we went in."

"Oh…" I paused. "…Like what?"

Grimmjow just shrugged. "Hell if I know."

He held out his hand and rapped softly on the door with his knuckles. "Yo, Ulquiorra, you almost done in there? We stay out here any longer, we're gonna get caught."

The door opened to reveal Ulquiorra with his usual expression of boredom on his face and Orihime standing behind him with her hand almost covering her mouth like she was a little surprised by something. Wonder what he told her…

Grimmjow and I slipped inside and shut the door as quietly as possible. The four of us sat on the floor in a circle.

"Alright," I said, flopping down between Grimmjow and Orihime. "What's the plan?"

"Well," Grimmjow leaned forward and lowered his voice like he was afraid someone was listening. "I was thinking we should wait a day or two before we do anything. If we leave tonight, the day right after Yuki learned about Aizen's plan, it'll be pretty obvious what we're doing. If we wait a couple days, it'll seem less suspicious."

I was quiet for a second before responding slowly, "But, what if he decides to start his plan by then? It'll kinda defeat the purpose of running away so I won't get hurt if he gets to me first."

Ulquiorra responded this time. "I kept that in mind. If it does come to that, we will get you out of here before he can do any real damage."

I let out a sigh, still not totally convinced. "Yeah okay. But, wait and run? That's your plan?"

"It's not like there's much else we can do," Grimmjow said solemnly. "The other Espada are all too loyal to Aizen to create an army. If we try to rally them, they'll just turn us in."

"Okay. Wait and run it is then."

Orihime finally spoke up. "Where are we going to run to?"

"She's got a point," I said. "Beyond Las Noches, it's just sand and dead trees."

"I've been looking through the old records about this place," Ulquiorra responded calmly. "If we go far enough, we'll be able to find another structure we could stay in."

"And how far is 'far enough'?"

"Roughly a five-day walk."

I nodded. "Shouldn't be too bad."

Grimmjow stood up, smoothing out his pants. "So we're agreed then?"

The rest of us nodded in response with a "Yeah" from Orihime and me.

"Good. Two days from now, we meet back here and go."

"Right."

The next day passed with me getting slowly more stressed every hour. Espada came and went as they pleased with their fracciones in tow. A few fought the Soul Reapers who had shown up. Szyallaporro had been killed by that Kurotsuchi captain after I'd left. There were only nine of us left now—well, eight, counting the one Rukia killed. One Espada, Zommari, was fighting one of the new Soul Reapers who'd come to help their friends. With our numbers slowly dwindling, I couldn't help but feel like Aizen would enact his plan sooner rather than later.

But the day came and went, the next taking its place. I had fallen asleep with my shoes still on, not even bothering to get under the covers and was jerked awake by a rough hand on my shoulder.

"Get up, Toyamuri!" a voice said. I opened my eyes blearily to see Yami standing over me, his massive hand taking up my entire upper arm. "Come on, Lord Aizen wants to see you."

My breath caught in my throat. Uh oh. Sometimes I really hate being right.

"Five more minutes?" I mumbled feebly. Yami just growled in response and lifted me off the bed, dragging me out of the room.

This is gonna sound a little clichéd but, I felt like a prisoner being taken for execution. Yami had me by the arm and was leading me forcefully toward the room where Aizen usually sat on his throne. I was thrown a little less than gently into the room, and had my hands actually been tied I would've fallen flat on my face. I looked up and sure enough, Aizen was sitting there in his throne looking like he owned the place (which he sort of did, but you know what I mean).

"Miss Toyamuri, so glad you could join us today. It's going to be a very eventful one, I can guarantee that."

He stood up and walked down the stairs until he was right in front of me. I stood my ground, but seeing as how he was a good foot taller than me, this didn't have much effect.

"Aizen."

He raised an eyebrow at my cold tone. He reached to his side, hand wrapping around his sword.

"Shall we?"

"I thought you'd never ask," I said, reaching for my own sword. Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were nowhere in sight, so if I was gonna go down, I wasn't going down without a fight.

Our swords clashed and what bugged me the most wasn't the fact that he really meant to beat me within an inch of my life, but the fact that he still had that smug grin on his face while doing it.

**BREAK**

Grimmjow ran towards Ulquiorra's room, only to catch him halfway down the hall.

"Ulquiorra! HEY!"

The Espada turned to face the other. "I heard. It seems Aizen has decided to move a little faster than we thought. Why aren't you in there trying to stop it?"

"'Cause I wanted to come and look at the pretty sun," Grimmjow said sarcastically. "I came to find you dumbass! If I just went and stopped Aizen from attacking Yuki, who knows how long it would take us to find you?"

Ulquiorra just nodded. "We're supposed to be in there anyway. Aizen wants the Espada to be there so that we can help 'control' her until we get to Karakura Town."

Grimmjow grunted in response. "Yeah, whatever. Let's go."

**BREAK**

I shouted out as Aizen threw me against the wall. My left sleeve was completely gone with a long gash down my arm. Blood poured from my hairline and a wound on my leg. Not to mention the fact that the scars on my chest and side had re-opened. I wasn't going to last much longer. I could feel myself starting to black out, but there was something else too. Something was trying to force its way out of the back of my mind. I couldn't let it out. If I did, Aizen would win and I'd massacre anyone in that town who stood in front of me. Using my sword, I stood back up, putting my weight on my good leg. I was breathing way too heavily. Aizen could tell he didn't have to wait much longer. I lunged at him again, actually cutting him across the shoulder this time. I tried again, missed, and again, and again. Finally, I swung at his face and he merely held up a hand and stopped my sword with his finger. I felt my eyes widen as he did so.

_Shit_. I thought. He just kept smiling.

"You're only wearing yourself out, Yuki."

He wrapped his entire hand around my blade and snapped it in half. I watched it hit the ground and didn't see his sword come around to slash from my shoulder all the way down to my hip. I staggered backward before collapsing. My vision went in and out. I couldn't let this thing win. I had to stay conscious. If I let it out, and the Espada weren't able to control me…I might kill Ulquiorra or Orihime or…Grimmjow. I felt an odd pang in my chest at the thought of accidentally killing Grimmjow. Why did I feel that way?

Two people burst into the room.

"Yuki!"

_Speak of the devil_, I thought, trying to stay focused on Grimmjow's voice. I had to stay awake. He started towards me.

_No! Stay back Grimmjow! I don't wanna kill you!_ I screamed in my head. I tried to move my mouth but nothing came out.

Grimmjow was yelling something at Aizen, but I couldn't make out what it was. The room seemed to be getting darker. I felt something warm and strong wrap around me and realized that Grimmjow had hooked his arm under my knees and around my shoulders and had started carrying me toward the door.

Aizen said something, there was a pause, and Grimmjow's muffled voice responded angrily before we started moving quickly away.

"Get Orihime!" Grimmjow yelled at Ulquiorra as we ran down the hall. I heard something click and saw a sudden bright light. I cringed, and curled a little into Grimmjow's chest to block it out.

I heard him say something that sounded a little like, "Hang in there, Yuki". Seconds later, I was vaguely aware of Ulquiorra running beside us, carrying Orihime in a similar position.

"…heal…far enough…" Orihime shouted at me. I strained to catch what she was saying, but never got all of it.

I raised a shaking hand and grabbed Grimmjow's jacket.

"G-Grimm…" I couldn't even get his whole name out. "Don't let…me…"

My hand fell back down, but he got the message. I could almost hear what he was saying.

"..on'…ry….wo…et…ou….thi…"

I felt my eyes slide shut and my head roll on his arm before I was completely out.

**BREAK**

Grimmjow looked down for a second as Yuki's head lolled against his chest.

"Don't worry," he repeated. "I won't let you do anything."

They ran for about an hour, Grimmjow gripping Yuki tighter every now and then when she'd start to jerk up and fall back again. Finally, when they thought they were far enough away from Las Noches, Grimmjow set her down in the sand while Ulquiorra let Orihime down. Orihime knelt down over Yuki almost as soon as her feet touched the ground and put her hands up to her hairclips.

"I reject," she mumbled, a large, orange dome forming over Yuki. Orihime gasped and almost pulled back.

"What is it?" Grimmjow asked.

"It's weird, it's like something doesn't want me to heal her. It's pushing back."

"Well, then fight it!" he shouted. Orihime flinched and concentrated fully on healing Yuki. After a few minutes, she released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding and sat back on her heels, the orange dome disappearing.

"Well?"

"I was able to close the wounds, but not completely heal them. Whatever this thing is, it really wants out."

"And a near-death Yuki is the only way it can do that," Ulquiorra concluded. He looked up at the tall dunes that surrounded them. "I think we should set up camp here. We're far enough away that they won't find us anytime soon. And if they do, as long as one of us is keeping watch, we should be able to see them before they see us."

Grimmjow nodded. "I'll take first watch," he stated gruffly.

Ulquiorra put a hand on his shoulder. "No, I'll do it," he nodded at Yuki. "You should probably be here when she wakes up."

Grimmjow's eyes narrowed, but Ulquiorra could see they'd softened a little. "Yeah, okay."

He turned to Orihime and barked, "Get some slee—."

Orihime was already fast asleep, having fallen on her side next to Yuki. Healing her friend had taken a lot out of her. Grimmjow turned back to Ulquiorra who nodded.

"You should follow your own advice."

Grimmjow suppressed a yawn, flopping down on Yuki's other side, crossing his arms behind his head. It had been a long day. A long, bloody, very stressful day.

"Sorry I didn't get there sooner, Yuki," he mumbled before closing his eyes and letting sleep take him.

**Woo! Longest chapter…I think…anyway, I got them out of Las Noches, and it was better written and longer than the last two chapters. I think I've redeemed myself. Also, I plan on making a fort out of blankets in my room where I will type the next chapter…I'm 15…**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm typing this chapter on my laptop…in a blanket fort…in my bedroom…I feel accomplished. **

**On with the story!**

**Previously…**

Grimmjow suppressed a yawn, flopping down on Yuki's other side, crossing his arms behind his head. It had been a long day. A long, bloody, very stressful day.

"Sorry I didn't get there sooner, Yuki," he mumbled before closing his eyes and letting sleep take him.

Chapter Seven

I jerked awake, sitting up and holding my side. I was really sore from the fight. I took a second to take in my surroundings and my eyes fell on Orihime lying next to me. Freaking out for a second, I scooted away. I hadn't attacked her had I? Judging by how high the moon was, I was out for a while. I could've attacked all three of them. Looking closer, I saw she was just sleeping.

"You're awake."

I whirled around toward the voice to see Grimmjow with his arms crossed behind his head. He was staring up at the almost completely blank sky.

"You okay?" He asked, still staring at the sky. I fell back down on my back, folding my hands over my stomach.

"Yeah. I guess. You know, apart from the fact I was just attacked by the man who was supposed to lead us."

"Mm."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

I huffed impatiently, turning my head to glare at him. "Okay, I give up. What are you staring at?"

I watched as he slid himself across the sand closer to me and pointed upward.

"That."

I squinted, trying to see if there was just some tiny thing I wasn't seeing. "Where?"

His other hand snuck underneath me, wrapping around my shoulders and pulling my head against his chest. He pointed again.

"That."

"There's nothing there."

He lowered his arm, keeping my head against his chest.

"Yeah, but just imagine if there was," His voice sounded louder and seemed to vibrate through me with my ear to his chest. "It'd be beautiful. Just like in the World of the Living. Can you imagine it? If we were there, out in the open like this with no artificial light or anything, the sky would be covered in billions of little silver and white dots."

I didn't say anything, just stayed against his warm chest, the gentle beat of his heart lulling me back to sleep.

"Have you seen it?" I finally asked quietly.

"Yeah. It really is a sight after living here so long. Sometime, I'm gonna take you there. Out in an open field where we can just lay there and look at the stars. Just the two of us…"

He trailed off and I let my eyes shut again, this time without having to fight back a horrible power.

**BREAK**

Grimmjow felt Yuki's breathing get slower and even out and she rolled over so that her arm almost fell across his chest. He smiled to himself, wrapping his arm back around her shoulders.

_She fell asleep_. He thought. He gently kissed the top of her head and soon followed her to sleep.

**BREAK**

I started waking up again and didn't want to open my eyes. I was wrapped up in something warm and I was comfortable. I snuggled further into what I was wrapped in.

"Mornin' Snow Princess."

I slowly opened my eyes to see Grimmjow's jacket and realized I'd fallen asleep with him holding me.

"H-hey, Super Kitty," I said, pretending my face wasn't turning red. I still didn't move.

"You two look comfortable."

We both looked up to see Ulquiorra standing over us, his form blocking the rising sun.

"We should get moving," he continued, moving to wake up Orihime. He knelt down and whispered something in her ear. She looked up at him and I couldn't help but notice something in her eyes.

Grimmjow let me go and stood up, holding out his hand to help me.

"You gonna be okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I can walk. I'll be fine." But when I tried to put pressure on the leg Aizen had cut, it crumpled under me. Grimmjow caught my arm before I hit the ground, then pulled me back up.

"No you can't. Come on." He lifted me up like he did before and started carrying me.

"You two coming?" he called over his shoulder. Orihime couldn't use Sonido or flash-step so Ulquiorra picked her up as well. Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow (I think) at Grimmjow carrying me.

"Apparently, I can't walk," I said sheepishly. He just looked ahead.

"We have a lot of ground to cover," he stated. "Let's get going."

And with that, he took off, leaving Grimmjow and I in his dust. Without another word Grimmjow took off after him.

The run seemed to take a lot longer when I was awake and I felt a little awkward in Grimmjow's arms.

"You've been pretty quiet," he said after a while.

"Not really a lot to talk about."

"We could talk about the landscape?"

I looked around Grimmjow's shoulder and pointed. "That was a beautiful dead tree back there."

He smirked. "Point taken. Anything else?"

I looked around again.

"Well, there's—what was that?"

He skidded to a stop, turning around. "What was what?"

"I could've sworn I just saw—never mind. We should catch up to Ulquiorra and Orihime."

"Okay…" he said slowly, running after the other two again. "You sure it was nothing?"

"Yeah. I mean, we're in a desert. Maybe it's the sun playing tricks on my eyes. I was probably just seeing things."

His eyebrows furrowed together, but he let it drop. We kept running, eventually catching up to our friends.

"What took you two so long?" Orihime asked.

"Yuki thought she saw something," said Grimmjow.

"What did you see?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Nothing. It was probably just a hollow or something," I said. I wasn't really sure what I saw. It was small, but it moved pretty fast from one dune to another. The sun was starting to get low in the sky again. "How long has it been since we made camp?"

Ulquiorra followed my gaze to the sun. "About six hours. We should stop for the night. Over there."

We followed him behind a large dune that was higher than all four of us together. We took apart a dead tree nearby and made a small fire in the center of the dune's shadow. Soon it got dark, the fire the only like behind the dune.

"I'll take first watch," I said, using my sword, still in its sheath, as a cane.

"No, I'll go," said Grimmjow, standing up with me.

"You and Ulquiorra have been running all day. You both need to sleep."

I made my way slowly up the hill, flopping down at the top. After about half an hour of watching nothing but sand, I glanced back at the other three behind me. Grimmjow was asleep, sitting against the dune; Ulquiorra and Orihime were lying next to each other. They were facing opposite directions but their backs were almost touching. Even up in my spot I could see Orihime's slight blush. I couldn't help but grin. They were so falling for each other. But then what about me and Grimmjow? I know how he feels about me, but…did I feel the same way for him? Sure he could be sweet when he wanted to, but other times he was brutally honest, and a little annoying. And then there was that time that he pretty much destroyed those two arrancars. He was scary. It was almost like he was in his element.

I could feel myself starting to drift off. Nothing was coming; maybe I could sleep at least for a minute or two. I wrapped my arms around myself. Jeez it was getting cold. I nodded off and jerked my head back up.

"Sleepy…" I muttered. Something came up behind me, draping over my shoulders. I looked up and saw Grimmjow…without a shirt. He'd taken off his jacket and wrapped it around me from behind.

"You looked cold," he said, sitting next to me.

"Yeah…" I pulled his jacket closer around me, feeling my face burn.

"I can take over watch if you need me to."

"No, I'm fine."

He put his arm around me, pulling me closer. "Sure. Whatever you say."

My eyes were starting to close again when I felt Grimmjow tense up.

"Hmm?"

"Look over there," he said, pointing.

"Is it the imaginary stars again?"

"No, It's something out there," he pointed out in front of us. I saw it this time. Something small and fast moving toward us, but not out in the open.

"That's what I saw earlier!" I said, sitting up straight. Grimmjow got onto one knee like he was going to stand up when something collided with his chest and sent him flying backwards.

"Grimmjow!" I slid down the dune after him. Ulquiorra and Orihime had woken up at the sound of Grimmjow rolling down the dune and Ulquiorra now crouched a little defensively in front of her.

"Get off me you little—!" Grimmjow was yelling, struggling with the thing sitting on his chest.

"Don't let them find me!" it shouted. Getting a closer look, I saw that it was a little girl with green hair and a skull mask on top of her head. The little arrancar was wearing what looked kinda like a green hoodie that went down past her feet. I bent down and picked her up, trying to balance on one leg.

"Shh! It's okay! Don't let who find you?"

"My brothers! They're coming to get me!" she wailed, showing her missing front teeth. She had a long pink scar that went from her hair and across her nose, dividing the red line that ran across her face. I gave Grimmjow a look that clearly said 'help me!' which he returned with a look that said, 'what do you want_ me_ to do?'

Rolling my eyes, I set the little girl down and sat down next to her. "Why are your brothers after you?"

"'Cause they said they were gonna get me!" she said, not giving us any more information. I decided on a different approach.

"I'm Yuki, what's your name?"

She sniffed a couple times. "Nel."

"Okay, Nel. That's—."

"G-Grimmjow! And Ulquiorra!" She looked terrified of the two Espada. Obviously she knew them.

"They're okay!" I said, trying to calm her down. "They're good guys! We're trying to get away from Aizen!"

"Aizen…?" Nel looked around our group.

"That's right, Aizen. He's the bad guy." I thought for a second. "Do you want to come with us?"

Grimmjow looked like Nnoitra had just confessed his undying love for him. "What?"

"Come on, Grimmjow. It'll be fine. She's just a little kid!"

"Yeah, a little kid who knocked me off of a hill!" He rubbed his bare chest. "I think she may've broken a rib or something…"

"Oh, get over it you big baby."

Nel laughed at that, then looked at me quizzically. "Where are we going?"

"There's a place that's just a couple days away where we can hide and find a way out of Hueco Mundo."

"Biblioteca?"

We all looked at her in surprise.

"Do you know where it is?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Mm-hmm! Even better! Nel knows a short cut!"

**So, I had to have Nel come in sometime, cause, you know…she just kinda goes poof. Seriously! She just disappears after she fought Nnoitra! Anyway. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some food, and go back to my blanket fort. **


	8. Chapter 8

**So, I recently watched the Nostalgia Critic review of that OTHER animated Titanic movie. Let's just say, it makes me embarrassed to be a human. Also, so far, this is my longest story on fanfiction. Sorry for the late update, by the way, I had a serious case of Writer's Block.**

**Previously…**

"There's a place that's just a couple days away where we can hide and find a way out of Hueco Mundo."

"Biblioteca?"

We all looked at her in surprise.

"Do you know where it is?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Mm-hmm! Even better! Nel knows a short cut!"

Chapter eight

Nel had led us towards another giant dune, bigger than any of the others we'd seen so far.

"So, where's this shortcut of yours?" Grimmjow asked.

"Right here," she said, waving a hand at the dune. Grimmjow and I exchanged a look.

"Where?"

Nel took a few steps back, then rammed head-first into the dune. For a second, I thought she'd disappeared through it, but she stuck her head back out with a huge grin.

"This way!"

I limped forward and put my hand on the side of the dune where she'd disappeared. My hand went straight through and I followed after Nel. Grimmjow came right behind me with Ulquiorra and Orihime on his tail. We came out in a tall, underground tunnel.

Grimmjow walked next to me, slipping his hand into mine. Keeping my eyes on the path ahead of me, I gently squeezed back. I'm pretty sure I saw him grin out of the corner of my eye. We followed Nel until we came to two, intricately designed doors.

"Through here," she said. Grimmjow and Ulquiorra nodded to each other and used their shoulders to open the heavy doors. We were greeted by a big cloud of dust.

"So now what?" I asked after we'd walked around. "Hang out in here until they find us?"

"Sounds like it," Grimmjow answered. We were surrounded by what looked like millions of bookshelves. The ceiling was so high it disappeared in the shadows above us. I held my hand out and muttered, "Cero."

A small ball of light formed in my palm, lighting up a small area around us. Grimmjow's eyes scanned the books around him as he walked forward. He paused, reaching up to a shelf where even he had to stand on his toes, snatched a book and flipped it open.

"What'cha reading?" I said, coming up next to him and looking over his shoulder.

"Nothing," he mumbled, sounding distracted. I looked back behind me to find Ulquiorra and Orihime were nowhere to be found. "Hey, where'd they go?"

"Hmm?" Grimmjow looked up from the book. "I don't know, looking at some books or something. They'll turn up."

"Yeah…"

I started slowly toward the direction they may have gone. After wandering around for a few minutes I found them…making out in a corner. Not what I expected. I turned back around the corner so they didn't see me and hurried back to Grimmjow.

"Hey! Grimmjow! You'll never guess what I just…saw? Grimmjow?"

He'd disappeared from where I'd last left him. Or maybe I'd just taken a wrong turn?

"Grimmjow?" I called again. I felt something touch my shoulder and jumped, the cero flaring up for a second before I turned around. Grimmjow stood behind me, the book still in his hand.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Don't _do_ that!"

"What were you talking about?"

I took a deep breath. "I found Ulquiorra and Orihime. You'll never guess what they were doing. They were—you okay?"

He looked serious all of a sudden.

"Yuki, the book I found…it has a bunch of different ways to become an arrancar."

"And?" He looked like that wasn't all he wanted to tell me.

"And…It also shows a way to become human again."

I stared at him. "What? You mean like living, breathing human?"

He nodded. "Yeah. But it's a very risky procedure. Two arrancars have to stab each other through the heart and die with each other, before they can become human again."

"But, if we die, wouldn't we get reincarnated eventually anyway?"

"But this way, the arrancar will keep all their memories."

I couldn't help but notice how he was looking at me hopefully. "What?"

"Yuki, would you…if Aizen does find us…if anything happens to either of us, would you do this with me?"

I blinked at him. "You want me to become human with you?"

"If it comes to the worst, we can escape to the human world, safe from Aizen for a little bit longer. And we can go to that field like I told you and look at the stars...just the two of us…"

I put a hand on his arm. "Grimmjow, I—."

"Yuki!" Orihime stood at the end of the aisle, waving at me. "You need to come up here."

I looked at Grimmjow, raising one eyebrow. He shrugged.

"I'll be up in a second. Go ahead."

I ran (well more like limped at a hastened pace) over to Orihime.

"Stay here," I said, putting my hand on her shoulder. "I'll be right back. If I'm not back down in five minutes…send Grimmjow…"

I made my way down the tunnel, blinking in the sudden light when I came out. We must've been down there longer than I thought. I looked around, not seeing what Orihime was so worried about, until my eyes fell on three figures in front of me.

"Yuki! You're okay!" shouted Ichigo running toward me. Renji and Rukia hurried after him, all three embracing me in a hug.

"Guys…can't…breathe…choking me…"

"Sorry."

They all let me go and I took a couple steps back. "You shouldn't be here."

"Well, it's not like we had too much choice," said Renji. "It was either desert or arrancar infested palace—."

"No, I mean you shouldn't be in Hueco Mundo. Your friends came here right? Isn't there a way you can get out too?"

They all stared at me like I'd told them I could kill Yamamoto with one strike.

"But," Ichigo started. "We haven't found Orihime yet."

"She's perfectly fine, she's with us. Believe me; we had the same idea you did. It's probably just a little easier for us."

"'We'?" Rukia asked. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Grimmjow, Ulquiorra and I took Orihime and ran away from Las Noches," I said quickly.

"You're here with Orihime, and two Espada?" Ichigo practically shouted. I just rolled my eyes.

"Oh, get over your stupid grudge with Grimmjow and go home already, Strawberry."

Ichigo just stared at me. Finally, he shook his head.

"She's right."

Renji gaped at him. "You trust your friend with those two Espada—?"

"I trust Orihime with Yuki," he turned back to me. "You're _sure _Orihime'll be okay with you?"

"I promise," I said, thinking back to what I saw in the library. She'd definitely be okay with us.

Ichigo nodded. "Then let's go."

He started to walk away and Renji and Rukia started to follow after him.

"What's the matter, Strawberry? Not gonna fight to get your friend back?"

I grimaced (weird word) at the sound of Grimmjow's voice behind me. The last thing I needed was for him to start a fight while we were on the run. Ichigo's grip tightened around his sword.

"Say that again?" he growled, a vein starting to pulse in his forehead.

"Grimmjow," I said warningly. He completely ignored me.

"Sorry, what I meant was: Some protector you are, letting your friend stay with your enemies."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," I muttered under my breath. "Look, Grimmjow, just let them leave; we don't wanna draw any attention to ourselves—."

"Come with us."

I looked up at Ichigo's voice. "What?"

"Yuki, come with us. We can beat Aizen and save Orihime. Plus, we'll get our best friend back."

"Best friend?"

Ichigo nodded. Ulquiorra came up during this conversation and now stood behind me.

"I-I can't, I have to stay with them," I waved a hand at Grimmjow and Ulquiorra. "They're my friends now."

"We'll just take Orihime and go then," Ichigo's eyes and voice seemed to harden all of a sudden. "Unless, you're sure you don't want to come with us?"

I looked between the two groups, feeling the tension starting to rise.

"I am an Espada now. It's not like I can walk into Soul Society and expect to be accepted.

"But if you come with us, we'll tell them what's going on and you might even make it back into your old squad."

I paused. In trying to convince me, all of them had drawn their swords. I could tell that my next answer could be the difference between peaceful departure and full-out brawl. I drew my own sword, readying myself for an attack. Ulquiorra noticed this first.

"Stand down, Toyamuri," he said. "This is between us."

I couldn't help but fell a little hurt at him calling me 'Toyamuri'. He never called me by my last name. Granted, he didn't talk to me much, but still. Grimmjow's eyes narrowed slightly.

"C'mon Yuki, don't go with them. You're one of us now."

Suddenly, the hole in my chest seemed a lot bigger.

"Yuki," Rukia muttered, finally speaking up.

"If we have to get through you to get to Orihime," Ichigo held up Zangetsu.

"So be it," Renji finished for him, aiming Zabimaru at me.

"Renji…"

"Sorry Yuki."

He swung at me and I braced myself for the impact. There was a flash of blue and white and something blocked the attack.

"Grimmjow!"

Zabimaru's jointed blade ground against Grimmjow's outstretched arms, barely leaving a scratch.

"Don't even think about it Soul Reaper."

Renji looked shocked for a second before going for a second attack. I threw my sword up this time, blocking the attack before it hit Grimmjow.

They started attacking each other around me.

"Stop!"

Rukia narrowly dodged Ulquiorra's attack and Ichigo jumped at Grimmjow. I tried to keep my eyes on everyone at once. Since I was due for doing something incredibly stupid, I spotted and opening and jumped in between everyone, holding out my arms.

"STOP!"

Grimmjow's eyes went as wide as mine as we both saw Ichigo's sword, with too much momentum to stop, moving straight at my head. Instinct took over and I dove to the side.

**BREAK**

Everyone froze as Yuki jumped away from Ichigo's zanpaku-to…and disappeared into the dune.

"What just—?" Ichigo started. Grimmjow didn't say anything, but disappeared after her.

**BREAK**

I flopped sideways through the hidden door, landing on my back. Panting, I felt something warm spread out across my leg. I put my hand on it and pulled away to see red. Great. The wound on my leg had reopened. Seconds later, Grimmjow jumped through. He lost his balance, trying to dodge me, and ended up on top of me, his knees on either side of my waist, and his arms on either side of my head. We stared at each other for a second and he quickly rolled off of me as Orihime came running down the tunnel.

"Yuki! Your leg! Here, let me—."

"Forget about my leg!" I snapped, shooing her away and sitting up. "Just get up there and show your friends you're okay before they kill us!"

She seemed a little shocked at my outburst, but nodded and went through the door. I heard shocked voices, muffled by the sand, and flopped back down, Grimmjow doing the same next to me.

"You seem stressed," he said. I glared at him.

"Well, trying to keep you all from killing each other is a full-time job."

He looked away a little sheepishly. "Sorry…"

I sighed, finally answering the question that had been running through my head, pretty much since we got here. "Yes."

"What?"

"Yes, I'll—I'll become human with you," I clarified, my voice getting quieter until I was almost mumbling. Grimmjow stayed on his back for a second like he was still trying to process what I'd just said before almost jumping on top of me again.

"You mean it?"

I looked him straight in the eyes, yellow meeting blue.

"Completely."

**Aww, Yuki's gonna become human with him. :3 that's so sweet…Anyway, I apologize again for the long wait. Writer's block finally caught up with me.**


	9. Chapter 9

**On with the story! **

I sighed, finally answering the question that had been running through my head, pretty much since we got here. "Yes."

"What?"

"Yes, I'll—I'll become human with you," I clarified, my voice getting quieter until I was almost mumbling. Grimmjow stayed on his back for a second like he was still trying to process what I'd just said before almost jumping on top of me again.

"You mean it?"

I looked him straight in the eyes, yellow meeting blue.

"Completely."

Chapter Nine

Ulquiorra appeared back through the entrance along with Orihime to find me with my leg on Grimmjow's lap. He was trying to bandage up the reopened cut with a part of his sleeve and let's just say, hope he doesn't want to be a doctor.

"OW! That hurt!" I snapped, jerking my leg back for the seventh time as he tied the knot on the cloth too tight.

"Well hold still then!" he snapped back, trying to hold me down and tie it again.

"You're pulling it too tight!" I said, using my hand to shove his face away.

"It 'ouldn'—'urt so 'uch if 'ou didn' dry do—pull away," he said, his voice slurred and muffled by my hand. We both looked up at Ulquiorra and Orihime who were watching us fight with bemused expressions (well, you know, as bemused as Ulquiorra could ever look) on their faces.

"You two fight like an old married couple," Orihime pointed out, grinning at us. I just glared, shoving Grimmjow again as he tied the cloth around my leg.

"HA! GOT IT! Now that wasn't so bad was it?"

I stuck my tongue out at him and turned back to Orihime, eager to change the subject. "We do not. What happened to Ichigo and the others?"

"I convinced them I'd be okay with you three and they left with their captains," she responded. "It's just us now."

"And me!"

Something rammed into my back almost throwing me over Grimmjow's lap and Nel jumped up to sit on my injured leg.

"Don't forget about Nel!" she said, while I cringed. She may have been a little girl, but she was definitely heavier than she looked.

"Of course not," I said, hearing my voice go an octave higher. "How could we ever forget you? Nel would you please—?"

She looked down at where she was sitting then attacked me (I think) wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

"YUKI! I'M SOWWY! I DIDN'T DINK DAT I WAS SITTING ON YOUR BAD LEG! NEL'S SOWWY! NEL'S SOWWY!" she sobbed loudly.

"It's okay! Really it doesn't hurt!" I said, poking my leg and trying to keep a straight face. "See?"

Nel calmed down a little, moving to stand behind Orihime instead.

"Nel's sowwy…" she repeated, clutching the folds of Orihime's pants as she hid behind the taller girl's legs. I tried to smile at her.

"It's okay. I'm not mad."

Grimmjow scoffed. "Yeah, whatever. We all know she annoys you a little bit, Snow Princess."

"Shut up!" I hissed, discreetly as possible punching him in the arm. Nel didn't seem to notice anyway. Grimmjow looked back at me, same cocky grin on his face as usual, but I could see the slight amount of concern in his eyes.

"You're sure you're okay?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yep. Ready to kick Aizen's ass any day."

He scoffed again, but didn't say anything, moving my leg from his lap and standing. He held out a hand to help me up and I took it a little hesitantly (considering what happened last time). But this time, he just pulled me to my feet, putting one of my arms around his waist and making himself a sort of crutch. He had one of his arms (the one that was missing half a sleeve) around my shoulders, helping me keep up with him as we walked back toward the library. I couldn't help but let my head fall against the side of his chest as we walked. Now that I'd agreed to become human with him, we had almost a new understanding for each other. If it really came to the worst, we'd both do the same for the other, to the best of our ability. Even if it meant we didn't make it.

**BREAK**

_I sat up from where I was laying against Grimmjow. My head hurt like someone had just taken an axe to it. I stood up and made my way to the tunnel something telling me I should leave. As soon as I was out of the entrance, I was in Soul Society again, wearing a shihakusho and everything. I looked up as the wall next to me exploded and I saw the man come through the dust again. I was too slow pulling out my sword and he shot at me, shoving me against the other wall, holding me by the throat. _

"_This was really too easy," he said. "Are they letting just _anybody_ become Soul Reapers these days?"_

_I knew that voice. Why did I know that voice? I tried to look at the man's face but it was blurred out. I couldn't see anything clearly. My vision was fading. I was dying. He pulled back his other hand for the fatal blow—._

"_Yuki."_

_Someone was calling my name. Did they realize what was happening?_

"_Yuki."_

_It was more urgent this time. Why didn't they come help me? If they wanted to see me so bad, they might wanna save me from certain doom._

"_Yuki!"_

_I was pulling at the man's hand, ignoring the voice now. They weren't gonna help me, so I may as well try and get out of this myself. I was horribly aware of the man's other hand now shooting straight for my heart—._

"_YUKI!" _

_The voice called at the same time the man's hand went right through my chest, shooting blood at the wall behind us—._

"YUKI! Wake up!"

Grimmjow was shaking my shoulders and I sat up quickly, only to crash heads with him.

"Ah! What?" I snapped, rubbing my head. He looked at me innocently.

"You were thrashing around. You almost hit me."

"Oh, sorry…"

I looked around and saw Orihime and Ulquiorra asleep next to each other.

"What…what time is it?" I asked.

"Late," Grimmjow shrugged. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I mumbled as he pulled me closer. "Bad dream."

He put a hand under my chin and gently pulled my face up toward his. "Well, then, I guess we should…make sure that doesn't happen again…."

He started leaning toward me, lips slightly parted. I could tell what he was doing and this time, I didn't pull away. I met him halfway, leaning into him as his fingers moved to lace through my hair. My hands moved up to lie on his chest. I felt his arm wrap around my waist, pulling me even closer. One of my hands moved to wrap itself in his short, blue hair. He pulled back slightly, letting my forehead fall against his.

"Better?" he mumbled. I couldn't hold back the small grin spreading across my face.

"Mm-hm."

**Sorry about the short chapter, but that's where I hit a block and this is where I deemed it worthy of being a chapter. **

**Ok, so here's what I noticed while studying for the Julius Caesar test:**

**Brutus/Anakin is worried about killing a man of power/group of power, Caesar/The Jedi Order, whom he greatly respects. His wife Portia/Padme is wondering what's wrong and why he's acting the way he is. Cassius/Palpatine is telling him it's perfectly fine what he did and that it was reasonable and for the good of Rome/The Universe. Portia/Padme, too worried about her husband/scared and heartbroken by what he's become, kills herself/dies in childbirth. Brutus/Anakin hears of this news, fights a war, then kills himself/gets electrocuted to death by the emperor...**


	10. Chapter 10

**I guess star wars just helped me pass my Julius Caesar test…thank you George Lucas?**

**Previously…**

Grimmjow shrugged. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I mumbled as he pulled me closer. "Bad dream."

He put a hand under my chin and gently pulled my face up toward his. "Well, then, I guess we should…make sure that doesn't happen again…."

He started leaning toward me, lips slightly parted. I could tell what he was doing and this time, I didn't pull away. I met him halfway, leaning into him as his fingers moved to lace through my hair. My hands moved up to lie on his chest. I felt his arm wrap around my waist, pulling me even closer. One of my hands moved to wrap itself in his short, blue hair. He pulled back slightly, letting my forehead fall against his.

"Better?" he mumbled. I couldn't hold back the small grin spreading across my face.

"Mm-hm."

Chapter Ten

When I woke up again, this time, it wasn't a dream. I stood up and stretched, my leg almost completely healed, and walked over to a small table. Something big and square was laying on it and I recognized it as the book Grimmjow had been reading. I looked behind me to see everyone still asleep. I almost laughed at Grimmjow halfway curled up on the floor. He snores. Like the engine of a monster truck. Lighting up another small cero, I flipped through the book. I had gotten about halfway through it when something caught my eye.

Being careful not to hit it with the cero, I moved the book into my lap on the floor. I leaned closer, straining my eyes to read the text in the dim red light.

…_Two arrancars, if strong enough, can combine their resurreccion forms together, creating el doble de la resurreccion. If the bond between the two is strong enough, this technique will make the wielder nearly invincible…_

My eyebrows furrowed together. That almost seemed like _exactly_ what we needed if—well _when_ they found us. Glancing up to see if anyone was awake, I went back to the book.

…_this technique is dangerous, however. The arrancar who uses it will have amazing power, but be drained of his/her life force the longer this power is used…_

Okay, so maybe not _exactly_ what we needed. I looked back at Grimmjow. Would he use this if it really came down to it? No, that's not the right question. Of course he'd use it, and so would I.

The real question is: would I be able to stop him before he burned out? I figured I should keep reading seeing as the book hadn't said anything on _how_ to use this power yet.

_...using this power could cost one or both arrancars their lives. The power is attained by crossing the zanpaku-to together and calling for them to be released together, saying the wielder's first, and the other's second…_

It wouldn't be hard to use it that much was obvious. Would we be able to control it?

"Control what?"

I jumped at the sound of Nel's voice.

"Huh? Oh, did I say that out loud?"

Nel smiled. "Uh-huh."

"It's nothing you need to—."

I froze. I could've sworn I heard something from outside.

"Did you hear that?" I asked her. She looked confused.

"Heaw what?" she asked.

I heard it again, this time more prominent. Someone or something was outside.

"That. Someone's knocking on the door…"

I got up and quietly moved over to Grimmjow.

"Grimmjow!" I whispered, shaking his shoulder. "Grimmjow!"

He woke up and glared sleepily at me. "Ah, come on. I was having a good dream."

"You can get back to your nap later Super Kitty, right now—."

My breath caught in my throat and Grimmjow jackknifed into a sitting position as the knocking grew louder. It sounded like someone was trying to break down the door.

"Wake up the other two," I told him. "I'll go get Nel. We need to hide before whatever it is breaks in."

He nodded and I jogged back over to Nel, grabbed her small hand and hefted her onto my shoulders before running down an aisle. I heard Grimmjow warn the others just as the door seemed to fly off its hinges, crashing in the main aisle between us. Grimmjow and I exchange a look before I mouthed "Go!" running off with Nel trying to hold on to my shoulders.

"Toyamuri! Jeagerjaques! Schiffer! I'm here to find you!"

Nnoitra's voice echoed off the walls as he stepped over the broken door.

"Come out and play! Toyamuri, I wanna rematch!"

Nel's arms wrapped around my head as I ran.

"Nel—can't see!" I shouted as one of her arms fell over my eyes. She moved her arm and I ducked around the side of a bookshelf. I took Nel from my shoulders and held her closer, Nnoitra's footsteps coming nearer. I put my hand over Nel's mouth as she let out a small yelp.

"I think I found you…"

Nnoitra flashed around the corner just as I moved around the shelf behind us. I heard him grunt in disappointment and start to walk away. I chanced a look around the corner and was greeted by Nnoitra's hand hitting me in the face. I was sent flying back, Nel falling out of my arms. I rammed into the shelf and he towered over me again. He picked me up, his whole hand easily wrapping around my throat.

"Hey, Toyamuri," he said cheerily. "Long time, no see. Wanna see a trick Aizen taught me after you left?"

I made an odd choking noise in response. He took his other hand and placed it over the top of my head. My eyes went wide as a scene flashed through my head. I was watching my dream from earlier, but this time, it was like I wasn't supposed to be there.

"This is one of your lost memories."

Nnoitra showed up behind me. "You wanna know who killed you, take a closer look."

I looked back at the scene in front of me. I could see the man holding me through the smoke. It started to clear up slightly and I saw—blue hair.

No way.

"It—it couldn't be him," I said, talking a couple steps backward. Nnoitra grinned.

"Couldn't it?"

The memory faded out and I suddenly couldn't breathe, Nnoitra's grip around my throat getting tighter.

"See? You had some fun times as a Soul Reaper, huh? Too bad that had to end so soon. Should we draw this out?"

He hand moved from my head to my side where it wrapped around my sword. He pulled it out of its sheath and set it close to my stomach, starting to cut on the jacket. I let out a small whine of pain as the cold blade made contact with my skin.

"…or should I just kill you now?"

He moved his arm like he was about to slash my stomach open. I took in as big a breath as I could and got ready to yell for help when something attacked Nnoitra's arm. Nel had latched her teeth onto his arm, refusing to let go as he dropped me to the ground. Gasping for air, I jumped up and wrestled my sword out of his hand. Nel let go of his arm and I scooped her up, running as fast as I could in the other direction.

I kept running until I collided with something orange and white. Orihime took in my appearance, cut jacket, finger marks on my face and neck.

"Orihime—where's—where's Grimmjow?" I panted.

"He and Ulquiorra told me to hide and then disappeared."

I handed Nel to her. "I hate to repeat them, but take Nel and hide. I'll go find them. All three of us should be able to take Nnoitra."

She nodded and we took off in opposite directions.

"Grimmjow!" I shouted, knowing I'd regret doing so. "Ulquiorra!"

Thankfully, the next person who came around the corner was someone I could trust. I think.

"Yuki, are you okay?"

Grimmjow grabbed my shoulders. "Did he catch you?"

"Yeah, but Nel's a nasty little fighter so we were okay."

He looked like he wanted to laugh before he realized I was serious. He glared at the floor.

"Yuki, there's something I have to tell you, since it's only a matter of time before he finds us. I'm the one who ki—mm?"

He stopped with a surprised tone as I pressed my lips against his, standing on my toes and pulling him down to my height. I pulled back and he seemed surprised to see tears welling up in my eyes.

"I know. Nnoitra told me. But, I-I don't care. I don't know why, but I feel like I can trust you no matter what."

Grimmjow's eyes flicked from the ground to me.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For putting you through all this. If I hadn't killed you, you wouldn't be in this mess, but…"

"You know it could've been any arrancar and any Soul Reaper in this situation. It just happened to be the two of us," I gave a humorless laugh. "It could've been…Rukia and Aarroneiro for all we know."

"Heh. I guess it could've."

We could hear Nnoitra coming toward us as Grimmjow's arms tightened around me. He gently took my sword out of my hand.

"Grimmjow?"

He used his free hand to put his own blade into my hand.

"You know what. If we don't, he will. And this way, we can become human, hide away from them."

I shut my eyes and nodded. We stepped back from each other, both placing the blades at the others heart.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes," I nodded.

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three."

I felt his sword start to push into my chest when something grabbed me from behind, pulling me away from the blade. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Ulquiorra. His green eyes were burning while the rest of his face stayed relatively impassive.

"What are you two doing?" he snapped. He shook his head. "Never mind. I don't want to know."

He pulled us into an empty room where I saw Orihime and Nel. Ulquiorra shut the door behind us.

"This is the only place left where we can hide right now. I don't know how long this will last…" Ulquiorra trailed off. "I'm sorry."

**I got another chapter up. I'm almost done with this story too…that's actually kind of a sad thought….**


	11. Chapter 11

**So chapter 11. I'm most likely going to end it in either this chapter, or the next one. I'm kind of excited for almost finishing a story, but, at the same time…I almost don't want to…this has been my little project for almost two months now…**

**Previously…**

"This is the only place left where we can hide right now. I don't know how long this will last…" Ulquiorra trailed off. "I'm sorry."

Chapter Eleven

I paced around the room. It had been ten minutes since we hid in here. Orihime sat almost in Ulquiorra's lap, Nel sitting next to them. I could practically see Orihime shaking, and it struck me that she wasn't afraid for herself. She was worried about the rest of us.

"How has he not found us yet?" Grimmjow asked from where he was sitting against the wall.

"It's a big library," I muttered. I noticed Grimmjow kept shooting glares at Ulquiorra. He was mad about Ulquiorra stopping us. It wasn't hard to see where Ulquiorra was coming from though. The last thing he needed was for our few numbers to be cut in half.

I couldn't wait too much longer, and put my ear against the door. Everyone in the room went completely silent. Shuffling footsteps could be heard outside and I stepped back slowly from the door.

"He's out there," I whispered. "I don't think he's noticed the door yet, but he's out there."

"I'm going out there."

My head snapped around to gawk at Grimmjow. "What?"

"He's not gonna leave us alone until he finds us." Grimmjow stood up. "I'm going out there."

"You can't go out there, he'll kill you!" I almost shouted before remembering we were hiding. He just glared at a spot beside my head, refusing to look me in the eye. I huffed impatiently, crossing my arms.

"I'm coming with you."

Now he looked at me. He put his hands on either side of my head, looked me straight in the eye and firmly said, "No."

"So, you can go and probably kill yourself but I can't be with you when you do it?"

"Right."

I put my hand on his arm. "If you're going so am I."

He could tell I wasn't going to let the matter drop. He exchanged a look with Ulquiorra and I felt two hands on my arms.

"Ulquiorra!" I snapped, trying to jerk out of his grip.

"Sorry," Grimmjow muttered before slipping out of the door and closing it behind him.

"Let me go!" I shouted, squirming and thrashing as hard as I could against Ulquiorra's iron grip. Sounds of fighting immediately filled the air from the open library, echoing off of the high walls and ceiling. "Grimmjow!"

I heard him yell, and then a loud thump followed closely by Nnoitra's booming laughter.

"Grimmjow!"

I finally broke out of Ulquiorra's grip and flung myself at the door in my hurry to open it. I staggered out into the open room, already knowing what I would see but still hoping against all odds it wouldn't be there.

Grimmjow was sprawled out on the ground, a puddle of his own dark blood pooling beneath him. My feet seemed to move on their own, taking me over to him. He groaned as I knelt down next to him.

"D-dammit," he whispered hoarsely. His breathing was short and pained.

"Grimmjow, come on, you're gonna make it," I said, my voice shaking and tears forming in my eyes.

"Not this time Snow Princess. Just…suck it up and—ngh—get yourself out of here…"

He tried to nudge me with a hand that refused to move and I brushed stray pieces of hair out of his eyes. I stared down at the wound that was still bleeding.

"How do I save you?" I choked out. "Please don't go."

"I'm sorry…"

He let out one last breath, his head rolling to the side and his eyes slowly closing.

"Grimmjow?"

He didn't say anything, not even a groan.

"Come on, you stupid cat, wake up!"

I hunched over Grimmjow's lifeless form, tears streaming down my face.

"Please, Grimmjow!"

I buried my face in his jacket, my tears mixing with his blood and creating pink tracks down my face. I couldn't accept it. I wouldn't! He wasn't gone! He couldn't be! He was one of the strongest people I knew.

"Grimmjow," I sobbed into his chest, wrapping one arm around him. He felt cold. "No…no, no, No, NO! Grimmjow! You can't leave me! Please! We have to see the stars together remember?"

No response. His blue eyes were half-open and glazed over. No life left in them at all.

"I still have to become human with you! You can't leave now! Grimmjow!"

I sobbed into his chest a little while longer before finally accepting it. He was gone. Dead. He wasn't coming back.

Nnoitra stood behind me, laughing, calling Grimmjow stupid for trying to fight him to save me. Not really aware of what I was doing, I pulled Grimmjow's sword from its sheath, drawing mine as well.

"You think two swords are gonna help you any?" Nnoitra jeered. "I can take you in a heartbeat."

I glared up at him, slowly raising the two swords and crossing one over the other.

"Grimmjow wasn't stupid," I growled. "He was brave. Braver than you any day. Caring for someone isn't a weakness. Because I cared for him…I can take you down in five shots."

Nnoitra grinned at me. "Only five huh? I have to see that."

I pulled my sword across Grimmjow's, sending sparks flying. "Strike, Vulpes and Grind, Pantera!"

The reiatsu shooting out from me sent up clouds of dust and sand. When it cleared, Nnoitra couldn't help but look a little shocked. I had crossed the resurrecion forms of Grimmjow and myself.

"How is that possible?" Nnoitra shouted. I had the ears and fragmented tail from Grimmjow, my hair had grown longer and was now streaked with blue, one of my eyes changing to blue as well. The bone around my wrists grew to lethal-looking claws with an identical set on my feet. The halo in my hair thickened and formed an almost-guard around my forehead.

"You tore us apart," I said, my voice sounding distorted. "Now I'm going to tear you apart."

I jumped for him, disappearing for a second before reappearing behind him. Before he even had a chance to raise his weapon, I'd already cut one of his arms off. He looked down in surprise, watching his arm fall and hit the ground. The next thing he knew, I'd slashed one of his legs, severing the nerve. I did the same to the other leg and he fell to the ground. He tried to react, swinging his weapon wildly and for a second, thought he'd hit me, when I appeared right in front of his face, stabbing both swords, into his chest.

"That was only four. Sorry," I said coldly, pulling the swords back out and walking over to where Grimmjow lay. My eyes started to fill with tears again. I could feel something warm spreading out over my stomach. I reached down to feel it and my hand came away red. He'd hit me after all. Already my vision was fading. I didn't have much longer. I kneeled down next to Grimmjow, taking his limp hand in mine.

"Hey Super Kitty…I kicked his ass for you…"

I smiled weakly at him.

I held up my sword and drove it through Grimmjow's unmoving chest, then set the tip of his directly over my heart. Orihime shouted and Ulquiorra held her back as the sword stuck through my back. I fell over sideways, loosely intertwining my fingers in his unmoving ones.

"I guess we never were gonna make it to the World of the Living, huh?"

My eyes were closing, my fingers going limp on top of his hand.

"Sorry…Grimmjow…"

I was having difficulty breathing now.

"I…"

Ulquiorra held a sobbing Orihime close as the bodies of their two best friends faded away…

My name is Yuki Toyamuri and this is the story of how I died, became and Espada, and died again. And to those reading this, pass on a message to our former-lord Aizen:

See you in hell.

**And there you go the end of the story. I really am kinda sad to finish it…mainly because I killed off the two main characters…oh well….thanks for reading if you made it this far. And thank you to The Violent Spazz for helping with my fluff scenes (though I'm no longer giving her complete control over my character's love life again).**

**The Violent Spazz: Since I am in your basement reading this, I might as well tell your readers what I happened. I didn't cross the line between fluff and a lemon—**

**Strawberry-Chappy Forever: Yes you did! **

**The Violent Spazz: Instead, I made—AN ORANGE! Bye x)**

**Strawberry-Chappy Forever: Anyway, if you'd like to see this…orange…let me know in a PM or review and I'll put it in my one-shot thing.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Change of plan! Due to a request by ChieLuvsBleach, I've decided to at least put on an epilogue or something….I will say this now, it will most likely be shorter than any of the other chapters. And may bring on a sequel. **

**Seriously, I still don't own bleach.**

**Previously…**

My name is Yuki Toyamuri and this is the story of how I died, became and Espada, and died again. And to those reading this, pass on a message to our former-lord Aizen:

See you in hell.

Chapter 12- Epilogue

Orihime continued her daily routine, walking to school. She smiled and laughed as Tatsuki said something funny, but couldn't help but think about Grimmjow and Yuki. What would've happened had they beat Nnoitra first? They'd probably be here walking to school with her.

"Orihime, are you okay?" Tatsuki asked. Orihime smiled and shook her head.

"I'm fine, just spacing off," she said cheerily. Tatsuki gave her a quizzical look before continuing on with the conversation.

It wasn't fair. First they'd lost Grimmjow and Yuki, and then Ichigo had lost his powers. He wasn't able to see Rukia anymore. He'd been so sad when she faded from his vision. Someone bumped into her shoulder.

"Oh, sorry," he said, before turning back to the girl he was walking with. Tatsuki glared him down but he didn't notice. Neither did Orihime; she was busy staring in shock. The boy was tall with blue eyes that matched his hair. The girl next to him was about as tall as his shoulder and her long, dark hair swayed behind her as she walked. Their hands were clasped together between them, fingers intertwined. The boy said something and the girl laughed as he did an imitation of someone.

"Orihime!"

She didn't realize she'd stopped. She shook her head again to clear it.

"Sorry!"

_It couldn't be them,_ she thought as she changed her pace to match her friend's. _I saw them, they faded away! They died! They can't be here!_

Orihime switched her gaze from her feet to the people walking a few feet in front of them. They were wearing the Karakura High uniforms. She'd see them at school.

Before she knew it, she and Tatsuki were in class, unloading their bags and sitting at their desks. The bell rang just as Ichigo slouched into the room. He sat at his desk and put his head on one hand, scowling at nothing in particular. The teacher stood at the front of the class.

"Welcome back, I hope you all had a good winter break! Now, before we get started, I'd like to introduce two new members to our class…"

Two people walked through the door and Orihime sat up a little straighter.

It _was_ them. Grimmjow and Yuki stood at the front of the class, almost shoulder to shoulder. Yuki looked over the class almost shyly while Grimmjow looked like he didn't care what they thought of him. Orihime noticed Yuki's eyes had changed color. Instead of bright yellow, they were now a dark brown color. Neither of them had bone parts on them (_Obviously,_ she thought) and apart from Grimmjow's blue hair and eyes, they looked like perfectly normal people.

"Would you two like to introduce yourselves?"

"Grimmjow Jeagerjaques," Grimmjow muttered, clearly not wanting to be there.

"Yuki Toyamuri," Yuki said, a little kinder.

Orihime looked over at Ichigo who had sat up as soon as the two walked in and was now staring at them in disbelief. She couldn't help but feel like something was off. The two of them didn't acknowledge the fact that two people they spent a good part of their lives with were now on either sides of them as they took their seats next to each other. Orihime leaned over to Yuki.

"Hi Yuki," she whispered. The other girl looked at Orihime for a moment before answering.

"Oh, I remember you!"

Orihime perked up slightly.

"Grimmjow bumped into you earlier. Sorry about that, he doesn't like to watch where he's going."

"Oh, right. Yeah. It's okay."

Orihime sort of deflated as she sat back in her chair. _She doesn't remember me, _she thought. And looking over at Ichigo, it seemed he was getting the same result with Grimmjow.

Grimmjow leaned to whisper something to Yuki and Orihime noticed a scar through collar of his shirt.

_That must be from when he fought Nnoitra. Does he remember that?_

From what it looked like, they'd lost all their memories except those of each other.

**So there you go. The REAL end of the story. I think I will do a sequel, this was fun. **


End file.
